2019 Sales Conferences You Don't Want To Miss

Entrepreneurs
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Whether it’s through reading, taking an online course, or participating in a workshop, it’s imperative to invest in your development — and your team’s — if you want to succeed. However, one of the most effective ways to grow professionally is by allowing your sales team to connect with and learn from other sales professionals. In my experience, it’s probably the best way to increase their motivation and productivity.

Unfortunately, you also may be overwhelmed by the sheer number of conferences available. I’ve been a keynote speaker at a variety of these types of events and have talked to many of the top sales speakers about which ones could be valuable to others.

For starters, Unleash, which is hosted by Outreach, takes place in San Diego. If you live in a part of the country that’s had a brutal winter, like I have, this is a great excuse to add some much-needed sunshine to your life.

In all seriousness, this year’s theme for the three-day event is “3 steps to invincible.” According the conference's site, “becoming invincible means being able to succeed in impossible circumstances.” On top of the keynotes, there’s a fun run, breakout sessions, a ‘90s-themed party, and an endless summer beach party to close out the festivities.

Rainmaker is a massive annual event organized by Salesloft; you can expect three jam-packed days with more than 100 speakers from organizations like Square, LinkedIn, and Harvard Business School. The event also offers 40 track sessions and the opportunity to network with more than 1,500 attendees.

You can expect to learn more about sales methodology, sales leadership and strategy, and sales operations and systems.

Sandler Training puts together this annual summit, where sales professionals can network and work side by side with leading sales trainers. In fact, this was listed as one of the top four sales conferences you should attend this year by HubSpot.

Described as the “The World’s Largest Gathering of Inside Sales Leaders,” this three-day conference will feature keynotes from Allen Gannett (CEO, TrackMaven) and author and consultant Matthew Pollard, as well as more than 100 speakers from organizations ranging from Thomson Reuters, Factor 8, and Microsoft. Attendees can expect to learn about topics like AI, sales leadership, gamification, personalization, and prospecting tools.

There are also small-group breakout sessions, a happy hour to network with peers, and the 11th annual awards gala.

Considered one of the top sales and marketing conferences in the world, TOPO is a two-day conference featuring more than 80 speakers, 60 sessions, and 2,000 attendees. This year, the conference is focused on six tracks: executive leadership, sales development, sales ops and technology, sales effectiveness, marketing ops and technology, and account-based marketing.

Additionally, at Summit, you’ll learn how 70 different companies, such as Google and Twilio, have accomplished scalable growth. There’s also plenty of time to mingle with like-minded individuals and unwind at parties and dinners featuring San Francisco craft food and cocktails.

Presented by Outreach, this event’s focal point is exclusively on sales prospecting, pipeline, and productivity. It will also feature a lineup that includes experienced speakers and trainers for 1,200 attendees from across the world. It’s a conference to consider if you’re hoping to build your sales team to gain a competitive edge.

At Outbound, you can also participate in 90-minute workshops and networking events throughout the day, with two morning networking sessions and one in the afternoon.

This year’s theme is “Together: Achieving High Performance by Aligning the B2B Revenue Engine.” The conference will focus on how “achieving alignment means a more successful and brighter outcome” and examine the formulas organizations are using to achieve accelerated growth.

During the three-day event, you can join in on interactive discussions, attend intimate breakout sessions, discover the latest B2B innovations, and rub shoulders with the more than 3,200 attendees during the numerous networking breaks and receptions.

If you’re looking to improve your organization’s customer service, look no further than Pulse 19. It’s a three-day conference that brings together customer service experts to share the latest and most effective customer service strategies. Some of these speakers include Emily Chang (anchor and author, Bloomberg Technology), Nick Mehta (CEO, Gainsight), and Carrine Roman (global head of success, LinkedIn).

Furthermore, you can attend tracks discussing topics like human-first leadership and growth through human-first products, participate in networking opportunities, and let loose at the after-party.

In just its third year, Tenbound has the distinction of being the only conference that’s 100 percent focused on sales development. You can expect to learn and socialize with VPs, directors, and managers of sales development — as well as SDRs, marketers, C-level execs, owners, and VCs — during presentations, fireside chats, and panel discussions.

For 2019, Tenbound will focus on sales development and leadership tracks.

Now in its seventh year, the Extreme Sales Summitt is a two-day event that shares ideas, concepts, and perspectives that will help sales professionals think about the big picture. In addition to industry-leading content, ESS 2019 also provides numerous networking opportunities.

Describing itself as the “premier event for chief sales officers and B2B sales leaders,” the 2019 edition will focus on a variety of areas, from developing and managing high-performing sales teams to hiring frontline sales talent.

Throughout the three-day conference, you can partake in peer meet-ups, roundtable discussions, and even a 30-minute one-on-one session with a Gartner expert. You can also meet cutting-edge sales solutions and technology providers and attend inspiring keynotes from Gartner’s team of research experts.

Coordinated by Drift, Hypergrowth is a one-day conference taking place in Boston and San Francisco at some pretty unique venues. Called the “the fastest-growing modern business event on the planet,” it gathers leaders to share their strategies for building, selling, and marketing products in a customer-centric world. You can sit in on keynotes from business leaders, artists, athletes, authors, and inspirational speakers and network with your peers.

While not much other information is currently available, Dreamforce is never a letdown. With more than 2,700 breakout sessions, keynotes from innovative minds, and the ability to connect with trailblazers, there’s no shortage of learning opportunities. There’s also impressive entertainment: Last year, attendees rocked out to a concert by Metallica.

Dreamforce also gives back to the community by benefiting organizations like the Girl Scouts of America, (RED), and UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals.

Throughout the year, successful entrepreneur Grant Cardone hosts several three-day conferences to help attendees unlock their earning potential by discovering the latest sales strategies, business tactics, and trends. The events focus on using hands-on training, exclusive networking, and keynotes from John Maxwell, Sara Blakely, Daymond John, Bethenny Frankel, Tai Lopez, and Cardone himself.

While this isn’t an exhaustive list of 2019’s sales conferences, these are the events I believe you shouldn’t miss. If I left out any sales conferences that you feel are must-attends, please share them!

John is the co-founder of Calendar, author of the best-selling book "Top of Mind," and a keynote speaker. You can sign up for early access to Calendar here!